RSV Virus and Learnings — The Year 2021
America is not running on donuts but on the shoulders of skilled workers.
I used to write technical blogs to save fellow engineers time but I never thought I will write a blog like this. Focused on 2 points.
- How a stupid virus that can’t be seen makes us sit home doing nothing for two weeks.
- What do I mean by skilled workers in this context?
🎥 Episode 1: How it Started
This virus started with my little one who is 8 years old on a beautiful evening with a complaint, Daddy I had a soar throat.
Ah! A million thoughts triggered in my mind. It's been 2 years since we are like in the isolation with CoVID impact and so no one was sick at home. We used to go out with all possible precautions carrying masks, sanitizers, frequent hand wash, and a face shield. Usually, these kiddos carried the infections from the school every year and the whole family used to get sick in the past. But now, being so fortunate to be in Frisco ISD, TX; kiddos are still attending online school while other cities across the USA are not proving such options. Of course, I am one among those who fought to continue the optional virtual learning as I had seen how the CoVID can impact people’s lives from India’s second delta wave. My dad is one of them. He was admitted to the hospital and took a week to return home in the month of May 2021. I had sleepless nights. My sister already complained to my mom it is all happening because of me.
Alright, despite many other thoughts, I decided to watch for a couple of days taking care of her before calling her doctor. Using turmeric stream 3 times daily, keeping the onions at her bed, Sanitizing the home, etc which our ancestors used to do. The next day she caught with cough and on the third day, she caught with a runny nose as well. On day 4, she was fine and recovered as her soar throat completely gone with a mild cough is still around. The good thing I did is isolating her while my Instincts are saying my 9 years old elder one will catch it up soon having a history of Asthma. This is one of the reasons why I can’t risk sending my daughters to school at the cost of living.
🎥 Episode 2: How did it spread?
Ok, my girls played together escaping my eyes while I am at work and busy in meetings. After a day, My elder one complained she now had a soar throat. Until now I didn’t care about the medicines, but now, I took out the Oximeter, Pulse monitor, Tylenol, Motrin, Albretural and the Nebulizer, Gatorades, and Pedialyte popsicles drink and powder. I didn’t wait this time, I called her primary pediatrician. Didn’t get an appointment on day one. Called the next day same answer. So, I called a doctor using LiveHealthOnline and she said it can be viral and wait for another day. on the third day I called her pediatrician again and no appointments. I am not sure why do I need a doctor when I don’t get to see when needed? Ya, I am still not sure. This pediatrician used to work in two different cities moving across. By the way, she is a good doctor (Latha Sridharan) but always used to give a nurse appointment. of course, many of my friends warned me the same before I make her my kiddos primary. Being so close to my home I thought it's fine. Later on, I was shocked upon knowing she used to work only 2 days from the facility I chose. Alright, My elder is already vomited 6 times during these 2 days and ended up cleaning the upstairs carpet and so shifted to downstairs sleeping in the living room. She can’t keep up the solids and liquids down. Now it's morning at 4 AM and I am already tired of watching her oxygen levels all night. Her oxygen is showing 88 even after using the nebulizer. With no second thought, I took her to Frisco Medical City ER. Again was shocked by the information they had been given at the center. We don’t treat CoVID patients here but let us see. The doctor came and asked me whats going on. I said her oxygen levels are low and she had a history of asthma. She might be developing Phenomonia and might have been infected by her sister who recovered in a few days. She used her stethoscope and said her lungs are clear. Ordered a CoVID test and said — you will get the results tomorrow. I requested why can’t do the RTPCR test for quick results? The answer I got is we do only for the admitted patients.
🎥 Episode 3: The HERO entered.
While daddy is still analyzing in his brain what does it mean of doing the test only for admitted patients, HERO a real HERO named Dustin entered the room and observed her oxygen is at 84. He didn’t think anything else other than putting the oxygen at first. Not sure what he said, RTPCR for CoVID, Influenza, and RSV tests, and the x-ray machine is lined up while the liquids are already started flowing through saline for hydration. Absolutely amazing and mesmerizing skills. I was just thrilled the way how fast he did all of these. He became a real celebrity in my mind with his speed at his work. I want to meet him in person and want to welcome him to my home for lunch or dinner. I can’t stop appreciating such expectational and extraordinary abilities. That's the time I felt, America is not running on Donuts but on the skilled people like him. I had my gut feelings, I am confident enough to build any software app within few days of time being a software engineer. But after seeing Mr. Dustin(I didn’t collect his last name) I figured out he is at the next level being an expert in another area. This person enjoys working 12 hours a day and 5 days a week. Hu! After 15 mins the doctor came and said she was tested CoVID positive and so we need to shift her to a different hospital. Okay, I replied, if that is the reality then let's move on. Meanwhile, a blown-out question was raised in the low voice. Daddy, am I dying? Laughing loud, replied like all daddies, that is not possible while daddy's heart is beating. The doctor left the room to address the next steps and came back in another 15 mins saying I am so sorry, it was not covid but it is RSV positive and so she wants to admit her into the same hospital. Ah! okay! RSV? What was that? Does another one spread from another land? I know from where the CoVid started spreading. The doctor replied it is spreading mostly from daycares and is very common. Doesn’t have a vaccine and medicines in place yet to treat this, but, I am seeing many kids coming with this Virus infection to hospitals. Is your daughter going to school? I said NO. Is she going to daycare? No. Did she play with anyone who had a runny nose or cough recently? Yes. Do you have any infants at home? Yes. How old? 3 months. This virus is dangerous for infants. Okay! I will isolate. So daddy jumped over google to learn about RSV and analyzed the data for 2 mins using his apache-spark clusters in his brain. This time I need to cross-check the information from this doctor. Fast forward, My elder one is in hospital for almost 3 (2 nights) days on oxygen and antibiotics as both the lungs showed up Pneumonia, while the doctor couldn’t able to hear the oozing sound through her stethoscope where my daughter is using her chest to breathe. Of course, the respiratory expert and pediatrician monitored her able to hear the buzzing sound clearly using their stethoscopes. My brother and co-brother(Sisters husband) helped me babysitting during those two days so that I can leave a minor for a few hours to freshen myself going home. A few of my friends visited my daughter in the hospital and offered help.
🎥 Episode 4: Spread Cycle
Now, we are home and she is on two different antibiotics one for seven days and another one for 3 days. After a day passed it's my turn. Daddy had the soar throat on day one, no fever. Day two, caught up with cough again no fever. Being so addicted to work, I can’t resist working for these past two days and so I tired badly while my boss was already warned me to take rest. Day 3, looks worst and so went to Urgent Care. The shocks started again, as there are 50+ people in the queue and the wait time is 8 hours. Upon calling other centers and almost all of them gave the same answer except one. What's going on in the city? Well, went over the appointment available center and return with the same test results as my daughter’s, CoVID -ve, Influenza -ve, RSV +ve. Same symptoms and stages. I got a couple of texts from my work, they too had a sore throat and will be visiting urgent care. Okay! I can understand it was widespread and my colleague got it from her daughter who goes to daycare. Coming to a conclusion, daddy still had a mild cough and unstoppable running nose but sure will recover in a couple of days with no special help from the medication.
So, symptoms and stages show up in the order: Sore Throat (day 1), Cough (day 2), Nausea (day 3), fever (day 4), pain, and peeling off feelings on the right part of your face (ear, tooth, eyes, nose) on day 4, now left part(day 5) and finally running nose (day 4, 5 & 6 and goes on)! Don’t underestimate. These symptoms have stayed longer than usual and make you lie down doing nothing. Hydrate and give the rest to the brain first!
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